By: Jacqueline Armour, PT, DPT and Board-certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist
Are you feeling dizzy or imbalanced? Do you avoid sleeping flat due to a fear of vertigo? Does turning your head when you walk make you unsteady?
Physical therapy can help! Vestibular Rehabilitation is a specialty type of physical therapy that you or your loved one may benefit from.
Dizziness can be described in many ways. Some describe it as a spinning sensation or “vertigo”. While others describe their dizziness as a general feeling of unsteadiness, rocking or swaying sensation, and/or as “lightheadedness.” No matter how it’s described, it can result in nausea, anxiety, fatigue, and decreased ability to concentrate. Your daily function may be limited with difficulty walking, moving around in bed or bending over. Ultimately, it can increase the risk for falls, which is a serious health concern especially among older adults.
Virginian Rehabilitation and Wellness offers vestibular rehabilitation evaluation and treatments at both of our clinics. https://www.vaoptherapy.org/balance-vertigo-issues
FAQs:
What is the vestibular system?
The Peripheral Vestibular System
It’s one of the three systems that help you balance. Your eyes and sensory system also help with this.
The vestibular system also helps you maintain a stable visual focus while your head is moving and orients your body in space relative to gravity and your head position.
It includes the:
Inner ear system with semicircular canals, otoliths and the vestibular nerve on each side
Deeper structures connecting to your brain and spinal cord
What are common vestibular diagnoses addressed by PT?
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
Concussion
Vestibular Neuritis/Labyrinthitis
Age-related multi-factorial imbalance
Central disorders such as strokes, multiple sclerosis or PD
Vestibular Migraine
Acoustic Neuroma (pre or post surgery)
Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD)
What should I expect for my Vestibular PT evaluation?
Your PT will assess your strength, coordination, and sensation
Also, we will be looking at your eye and head movements to help understand the function of the vestibular system. To improve the accuracy of our diagnosis, we will look at your eyes in the dark with our specialty infrared goggles
Your sitting and standing balance will also be assessed when holding still and when moving
We will review your past medical history, medications and any other factors that may be contributing to your dizziness
When should I start?
Call us as soon as you can with a physician’s referral.
It is important to start your therapy as soon as you are referred. The brain and inner ear system recover best in the first few months after there is damage although recovery can still happen years later!
What should I expect for PT treatment?
Every physical therapy plan is unique to the individual being treated and varies depending on the vestibular diagnosis.
Some common evidence-based approaches may include improving your balance with other intact systems, gaze stabilization exercises, or inner ear canalith repositioning maneuvers.
The goal is to help you move around easier and safer with less dizziness or fear of falling
We look forward to working with you!
References:
Why See a PT for Dizziness? / Aging and Dizziness. Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy’s Vestibular SIG. Patient Education Fact Sheet. Updated August 2019. Accessed October 2021. https://www.neuropt.org/special-interest-groups/vestibular-rehabilitation/patient-education-fact-sheets